With Every Beat There's No Escape
by AMessofADreamerx
Summary: Peter Quill always thought his childhood friend/first love Clara Williams was traveling the universe, finding adventure and causing men to fall in love with her where ever she went. When he finds her again, starved and abused, he learns her life as a child wasn't as perfect as it seemed, and her present is a repeat of her past, just with different faces. / TW
1. Chapter 1

_NOW_

her knees met her chin and her arms held her body tight, compact. she trapped herself in a crevice of the caves she was stolen to for four days. no one paused, walking by her crack. because no one should fit in there. four days of no food and water after three hundred and eighty days of just enough to keep her alive. her bones were sharp under her skin. despite being thirty-three, she was frail and tired like a women aged seventy years more.

she didn't know how she was going to ever leave here. especially now that she had tried to escape. but she had failed. she had failed and in thirty days time, they'll find her. find her decomposing in the fetal position she was in now. but she found she didn't care. she gave her last caring leaving the hole they imprisoned her in. she was nothing now. her eyes were dead and her body was paralyzed. her mind fell into a blank space that was now more often than every once and a while and she found she truly didn't know how long she's hid herself here. she was a shell. she was nothing encased in a body.

then something rolled into her crevice, bumping her foot, and with a sharp snap she broke out of the blank space she was in.

"which hand! c'mon, guess which hand," a voice taunted, "no? party pooper," and then her breath caught when she heard a thump and felt the impact of heavy things hitting the ground. they didn't get up.

"crap, dropped it," the voice muttered, teasing gone. it was deep and slowly, her mind recognized it as a man. "where are you guys?!" he called in a louder voice, "I'll be there, just one sec."

a hand came in and felt around. the object was just out of reach. her eyes watched each movement, and he came dangerously close to grabbing it- and touching her. her heart fluttered slightly in her chest as he pulled his hand back.

he suddenly jumped up and turned around, she watched through the crack. "oh heyyyy! I was just... I was just..." there was a click, "nevermind," he bolted off and a voice screamed, "get him!"

faster than she could think she had shimmied herself out and was following the guards following him. her hand gripped the device the man dropped.

full throttle after him, they didn't even notice her. she was silent nonetheless and she led her to a way out. to bright, blinding sunshine. she flinched, falling to her knees. covering her eyes, she was momentarily stunned.

"you can come any second now, any second now would be great actually!" the man yelled, before he let out a grunt of pain.

she squinted her eyes against the sun and found him surrounded by guards. he held his own pretty well, but no one had his back, and he needed that.

she didn't even think before she did it, and she a felt a surge of happiness- she was finally using it for good.

a hoarse screamed escaped her, loud enough for them to hear. all eyes were suddenly on her. the "gift" they gave her was now something she could use against them. in her mind, she grabbed them all and lifted them, and threw them a few miles away.

it happened outside her mind too.

"that was freaking awesome," the man said with a voice full of awe.

but all at once darkness overcame her and exhaustion plagued her and she collapsed to the ground. something was slipping away from her, something was pulling from her. she let out a gasp and that was all she could do, before she no more.

* * *

hello! disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel. however I proudly own Clara. I'm really excited in developing my writing ability and writing her. I'm going to put her and Peter through a lot of crap, and call me a psychopath, but I can't wait. ;) I hope you enjoyed! Let me know in the comments :)


	2. Chapter 2

_NOW_

Peter Quill ran an anxious hand through his hair. "That's not Clara Williams. That can't be," he said in disbelief. But to hell with what he could believe, it said _Clara Everly Williams _in the screen_. _That was his Clara_. _His eyes shone with worry as he met Rocket's.

"It don't lie, man. Who is she?" the Raccoon asked, with a curious tone.

"I-" Peter didn't even know where to start, especially with his current girlfriend, Gamora, was staring at him intently. He met her eyes, before breaking away. "She's an ex, I guess. But she- she was a good friend too." He chose his words carefully, not wanting to piss off Gamora. Clara was so much more than a girlfriend though. For a short time in his life, she'd been a best friend, a partner in crime, and family. But Clara was a wild thing and when she got bored, she ran off. Or when she got scared... leaving him one morning to an empty bed.

He'd been in love with her and she left him. Clara was the sole reason he was the player he was today. Peter wanted another her, but never found one, and through girls he went. Then he met Gamora. He pressed two fingers to his forehead. Gamora had been different. Gamora almost made him forget.

"I know who you were, Peter. I've accepted that," Gamora replied, quietly.

He couldn't even look at her, but let her think Clara was just some night he didn't even remember. He remembered all the nights- the nights where they made love till the morning, the nights they just laid by each other, shoulders touching, just talking anything and everything, and the nights he held her in his arms as she breathed softly, trying to get to know the girl sleep made her become.

He sighed loudly, thinking of the tiny girl laying in his bunk a room over. It didn't match up with the one he knew: her hair was long and was a mess of dark curls down her back, her bright blue eyes were always so alive, and her skin framed her body perfectly; soft where it was needed and firm right where it belonged. The girl laying in his bunk was hair cut jaggedly around her chin, eyes so exhausted they couldn't even open, and all bones, just bones. When was the last time Clara even ate?

"We need to take her to the nearest hospital. Now," Peter commanded. This wasn't something he could patch up with some neosporin and a baid-aid. There was going to be no more chancing losing Clara. Clara was so fragile now and she needed help. And it scared Peter to death.

"Are you sure about that? That would be the first place they- whoever they _even are_\- would look!" Rocket asked, typing it in the navigator.

Peter waited for it to load and found it was his old home. That's the next stop.

"They might arrest us on sight... we haven't been the best of kids," Rocket added.

He didn't care. He wasn't going to lose her again. Peter shook his head. "No, next stop: home," he said firmly and walked out, still not daring to look at his girlfriend.

* * *

"SHE JUST LAYS THERE. HAS BARELY MOVED," Drax announced- because let's face it, just about everything he says is an announcement, when Peter walked to the sleeping corriders.

"Has she woke up at all?" Peter asked.

"NO. IT'S AN AMAZEMENT SHE HAS SURVIVED THIS LONG. SHE PROBABLY WON'T MUCH LONGER," Drax answered.

"Aren't you a ray of sunshine," he muttered, sarcastically.

"NO, PETER, ACTUALLY I AM NOT-" Drax started, but Peter just tuned him out. He went over to her still body and watched as her chest rose with every shallow breath.

"Who is she, Peter?" Drax asked him, in a much quieter voice.

"A real old friend, buddy," Peter answered and touched her cheek. "Clara?" he whispered and breathed out in a whoof, "It's me, Peter. I don't know if you can hear me or not, but I'm here. Just like I promised," he spoke kind of fast and it mixed in together a bit. He added, "Of course apparently I wasn't there when you truly needed me," he rolled his eyes, adding a note of sarcasm again, unable to not turn it into a joke. Always at the wrong time. But Clara would have rolled with it and had replied with an equally cunning response, probably to the air of "better late than never", unless she was in a bad mood. You never knew with her. Sometimes they could super witty or just be a cold "fuck off." You just never knew.

* * *

these chapters are really short and it feels really weird to have such short chapters but I feel like it goes with the theme of the story. it enable me to update faster and write more fully, I feel. it's suppose to be more of an emotional piece in the point of view of either Peter or Clara, and soon there will be 'BEFORE' segments. some will be longer and some will be shorter. if I'm making any sense? maybe I should just shut up lol small chapters aside, I hope you like them! let me know. thanks littleheartache for the review!


	3. Chapter 3

_NOW_

Clara couldn't open her eyes. they refused. they were completely glued shut, but her ears liked to work half the time. falling and out of conscious, she heard Peter speak quietly by her bedside. heard the old promise, heard the old sarcasm. but things would never be the same. a part of her was relieved her eyes didn't want to open, so she didn't have to see him. she didn't ever want to wakeup.

unfortunately, she did. slowly but surely she became aware of a repetitive, quick beep. that was new... she didn't know how much time had passed when she realized her eyes had opened. she looked around to an empty hospital room. she looked to the right and located the device making the beeping, then looked to the left, and found a tube connected to a bag full of liquid. right on clockwork, a short nurse made her way in with a clipboard.

"oh! you're up," she said, startled, before a smile melted on her face, "it's been a crazy couple days. my name is Tara. how do you feel?"

Clara eyes widened and despite she knew she wasn't, she just knew, but she was back there again. she felt the fingers around her neck, squeezing so hard she thought her head was going to pop. she remembered him screaming IF I EVER HEAR YOUR SCREECH OF A VOICE AGAIN, IT'LL BE TOO SOON. she just stared at the nurse, in horror. didn't she know? didn't she know she wasn't allowed to talk?

then Clara realized, how could she? she hadn't been there. nobody but Clara and... _him_ were.

the nurse waited for her to answer, but when she didn't, she tried again. "any pain, discomfort, anything?" she asked, but Clara froze like a deer caught in headlight. she could barely breath. her heartbeat rose. Clara hasn't had anyone talk directly to her in years. "Clara? it's just you and me here." concert began to creep into Tara's voice.

she looked at the nurse, but she couldn't even fathom the thought. she really wanted her to talk? nobody has wanted that for so long. but anxiety overcame her. she couldn't. he would know, and punishment will be that much worse when he finds her. she was never alone. Clara shut her eyes and didn't say anything.

the nurse persisted, but she didn't get anywhere. Clara could still be stubborn... she just wished it was when it actually mattered. it mattered when he was hurting her that she remained stubborn, but that's when she broke. she wasn't strong enough. she was so weak. Clara refused to speak now. she couldn't even imagine a time where she would.

so her nurse gave up on her. burning tears slid down her face once she was finally alone again.


	4. Chapter 4

_BEFORE_

Her long brown hair flew behind her as she chased after the ball a boy hit a little too hard. Clara ran as fast she could through the playground at her school, so she could get back to the game she was playing with her classmates. However when she neared the ball, that had managed to stop right before the sharp corner that lead to a side of the building where no eyes could see from the field, Clara heard sniffling, and curiousity got the best of her. She kicked the ball back to her friends and followed the noise, slowly rounding the corner.

Clara found a boy there. She'd seen this boy in her class, so he must be around her same age. She still didn't know everyone in her class yet, it was still her first week at this school. Though despite being around 9 years old, he was crying. That was the sniffling she had heard. The boy sat with his back against the wall and his knees to his chin and the tips of his blonde hair fell into his eyes and he was crying so hard he was gasping for breath. Concerned furrowed her eyebrows.

He glanced up at her and tried wiping all the tears off his face, but there was too many replacing the ones he tried rubbing away, and Clara could tell he was really hurting on the inside, so she plopped down beside him, gently touching his shoulder.

"What's wrong? Did you fall?" She asked, and he just shook his head, refusing to look at her, his cheeks warming, but he knew it was either sit here with her or have everyone else see him cry, and that was more embarassing than just one girl. "Are you just sad? Sometimes I just get sad, and I cry. And I just don't know why," she added the last sentence to cover her tracks. She did know why. But that was her and her mom's boyfriend's secret.

But he shooked his head again and took a shallow breath, trying to calm himself down again now that he wasn't alone. In a shaky voice he finally said, "My momma's sick."

Clara let out a sigh, making her sound years older than her 9 years, and nodded understandingly. "When I was 7, my daddy was really sick too. I cried a lot too."

"Did he get better?" The boy asked, a hint of hope appearing in his voice, but Clara had to shake her head.

"No, he didn't. He died a couple weeks before my 8th birthday, and I'm 9 now," Clara answered, solemnly, but added in a happier voice, "But your mom probably isn't as sick as he was. She'll probably be okay," she tried to comfort him as she saw tears fill his eyes again.

"I don't know. Grandpa tells me she'll lose all her hair and be tired all the time. And that she's really, _really_ sick," He replied, as the tears fell out. He rubbed them away angrily, "I'm such a baby for crying."

But Clara was shaking her head before he'd even finished the sentence. "You love your mom and seeing her sick hurts as much as falling and hurting yourself," she said matter of factly.

The boy nodded slowly, but didn't cry anymore. Maybe he was all cried out. He really just looked exhausted, and Clara knew he could probably use a good nap right about now.

"I'm Clara. Clara Everly Williams," she finally introduced herself, with a half smile, "Come play with me." She remembered feeling better when she played Barbies with her friends and they could create a world where her daddy's sickness didn't exist.

He caught her bright blue eyes with his dark green, and nodded, "I'm Peter. Peter Jason Quill."

* * *

our first 'BEFORE'! yay! this is Clara and Peter's first meeting. obviously it was before he was abducted and it was in the beginning of his mom being sick. and Clara's mom's boyfriend isn't a good guy. :( I won't go into too much detail with him, but as previously mentioned there is someone who really hurt Clara to cause her to act like she does in the 'NOW' bits. their story and her and Peter's story will unravel in the 'BEFORE's as they try to help Clara and take down the bad guy in the 'AFTER's. I hope you like it, let me know with a review! Thanks to the new favers and followers, and zoekanehewitt for the review! :)


	5. Chapter 5

_BEFORE_

Being friends with Peter was Clara's favorite thing. He was fun to play with, he had a really cool cassette player, he was really sweet, and could make her laugh. And he was one more reason to not be home in the afternoons when her mom's boyfriend came back from work.

But his mother was really sick, just like her daddy had been. Clara met her a couple of times and she saw the way his mother looked at Peter, with so much love and adoration. She hoped there would be another person to look at Peter like that if she died. Because Clara had no one anymore. Now she's just looked at like a sick obsession.

Peter doesn't look at her in that way, though, but has yet to understand why she'll come over to his house with red puffy eyes or a blue bruised cheek or a slight stumble, playing it all down to clumsiness, but that was good. Bad things were to happen if her secret got out and she didn't want that.

And Peter felt the same way about her. She made him happy and his momma liked her. Clara wasn't scared of her like he had been at first, and her confidence slowing rubbed off on him. She knew what to say to him to make him smile when he wanted to cry or what games to play when he just felt like shutting down. He liked that she always seemed to know what to do, or what to say. Peter just liked her.

* * *

sorry it's been a while since I updated! this has been in sitting in my word for a couple months now, and I'm just like... why not just post it.. so they don't forget about me? :P just a little bit on the childhood but the next one will probably be an AFTER, or will be a more exciting BEFORE I haven't decided yet. which would y'all want first? ;) - Anna


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